Glossed Over
by sushisama
Summary: [yaoi/shounen-ai[rikuxsora]) Set before, during, and after the game. One evening, Riku shares a Paopu fruit with his friend. They are destined to always remember that night, and each other. Read and review, please. ^FINISHED^
1. Forgotten kiss

**Title. **Glossed Over**  
Part. **one / three**  
Part title. **Forgotten kiss**  
Authour. **~sushisama~ (sushivice@netscape.net)  
**Warnings. **Fluffy.  Very fluffy.  Just like my other fic.  Shounen-ai between Riku and Sora.  
**Disclaimer. **All characters from the game Kingdom Hearts are copyrighted to Disney and Square.  
**Notes. **A little story I'm doing waiting for more ideas to come to me for my 'Fangs' fic.  This fic is going to be in three parts: the first part is before the game, the second during, and the third after(which won't be made for awhile because I haven't beaten the game yet).  Read and review, please.

**/ / = thoughts**   
::*~~*::

            The sun shone dimly along the sands of the Destiny Island, flooding it in an orange glow as it set behind the sea.  The island was completely peaceful, some bugs chirping and the breeze blowing gently, not much louder than that.  And then there was a loud crack of wood against wood as two figures battled one another with wooden swords.  
            "That all you got?" one of the figures, a silver-haired boy, asked in a mocking tone.  "I bet even Selphie fights better than you!"  
            The other figure, a brunette with spiked hair, smirked at his friend and charged him, sword held in readied position.  "Don't be so cocky, Riku!  You haven't won yet!"  
            Riku easily deflected his friend's strike, using enough force to knock the sword completely out of his hand.  The older boy grinned as he held the tip of his sword to his friend's chest.  "Now may I be cocky?"  
            Sora snorted, rubbing his wrist where he had been disarmed.  "I guess, but it wouldn't be appreciated..."  
            Riku chuckled and put his sword down near the bent Paopu tree of the small island, taking a seat on it.  "Don't be a sore loser, Sora."  
            Sora sat down cross-legged at the foot of the tree, crossing his arms.  "I'm not a sore loser," he pathetically defended, his lower lip stuck out in a pout.  
            "I should beat you more often.  You look kind of cute when you're pouting," Riku joked.  
            "Better than you," Sora stated, smirking.  "You look all grumpy when you lose."  
            "Aww, I'm not even the slightest bit cute?"  
            "Not at all."  
            The two of them laughed, then fell into a comfortable silence.  Sora watched the setting sun, his eyes full of admiration for the beauty of it.  Riku himself had the same look in his eyes - but not for the beautiful sun, no.  It was for his friend that sat so class, whom he thought was more beautiful than a thousand sun sets.  
            It wasn't something he would voice out loud, though...  
            After a while, Sora turned his head to ask Riku something only to find that Riku was staring at him.  He wondered how long Riku had been staring, but decided to ignore it, and asked, "Think our parents would mind too much if we just stayed out here tonight?  I feel like camping out..."  
            Riku blinked.  That was an unexpected question.  But it didn't surprise him all that much.  Sora loved to stay out on the beach at least once a week.  He smiled.  "I don't think they'll care.  Should we go tell them?"  
            "Nah.  I think mom knows by now that if I don't come home, it means I'm camping..."  
            "And my parents will probably assume the same if we're both gone...  You want to see if Kairi can stay, too?"  
            Sora hesitated before answering.  "...nah.  As mean as it sounds, we spend enough time with her.  It's been awhile since the two of us have had some time to ourselves."  
            Riku smirked.  He liked the idea of spending the night alone with Sora.      It was mid-summer, so the two of them wouldn't have to worry about getting cold.  / But... if it does get cold... /  He grinned.  / ...I could always find other ways to get warm. /  
            "What are you thinking about?" a soft voice sounded from beside him.  Riku started a little, surprised at how silently and quickly Sora had moved to now be seated next to him on the Paopu tree.  
            "What?"  
            "You just looked really deep in thought...  I was wondering what about..."  
            "Oh."  Riku turned away so he was staring at the ocean's surface.  The sun was halved on the horizon, the ocean giving it the appearance of being a complete circle.            "Nothing, really..."  
            "Nothing, huh?" Sora interrogated further, leaning forward a bit so he could stare up into his friend's face, beyond the silver strands.  "I think you're lying."  
            "You won't leave me alone until I tell you, won't you?"  Sora nodded.  Riku paused before saying anything else.  He turned to the Paopu fruits and got an idea.  "I was wondering, actually, what a Paopu fruit would taste like..."  
            "You've never had one before?" Sora asked in a shocked town.  
            Riku wondered why he was surprised.  What would be the point of eating one of the Paopu fruit unless you have someone to share it with.  "Nope, never.  Have you?"  
            "Yeah, a couple years back."  
            "What'd it taste like?"  
            Sora took a look of thought for a moment before answering, "You know what?"  He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.  "I don't remember!"  
            Riku laughed at his friend that faded to just a calm smile.  "Would you like to try it again?"  
            Sora grinned.  "Sure!"  He jumped up and over Riku's lap, scurrying up the tree and back in only a few seconds.  Again, Riku was laughing at his friends antics as Sora sat down next time him, handing him one of the yellow star-shaped fruit as he held one for himself.  
            Riku frowned slightly.  He wanted to share a fruit, not eat one himself.  He set the one he held next to him and took the one that Sora was about to bite into.  
            "Hey!  What are you doing?  I gave you your own..."  Sora stuck out his lower lip in a pout.  Riku grinned.  
            "I still think you're cute when you pout like that," Riku casually remarked as he ripped the fruit in half.  He handed the half to his friend and put his half to his lips, the tanginess seeping some into his mouth.  He watched Sora out of the corner of his eye, waiting for his friend to take a bite of his piece.  
            "Riku... you know what it means to share the Paopu, don't you...?"  
            "Of course I do.  But, Sora," he took a small bite of the fruit, "there's no one else I want to share it with."  He swallowed and then smiled.  
            Sora blushed.  He stared at the fruit in his hands before taking a bite.  "Mmm... sweet..."  
            They both finished their pieces in silence, discarding the furry tips at the points into the ocean.  They sat back, heads tilted to the slowly rising moon.  
            "So, I guess..." Sora started, smiling gently, "that I'm stuck with you forever now, aren't I?"  
            Riku smirked.  "Yeah.  I guess you are.  But how do you think I feel?  I'm stuck taking care of you for the rest of my days."  
            "At least you'll take good care of me, right, Riku?" Sora asked with a cute look on his face and then laid his head on Riku's shoulder.  The contact sent a warm feeling throughout Riku's entire being.  
            "I always will, Sora..."  He put his arm around Sora's waist and pulled the smaller boy closer.    
            "No one better to do the job..." Sora said through a yawn.  
            "Tired?"  
            "A little..."  
            "Go ahead and lie down then..."  Sora nodded groggily and slid off the tree, laying down at the base of it.  Riku followed and lied down next to him.  He laid on his back, staring up at the stars, when he felt an arm go over his chest.  He turned his head to face the boy next to him.  Sora was smiling at him, staring into his eyes.  
            Riku flipped onto his side and leaned into him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.  When he pulled away, he flipped onto his back again, cradling the younger boy into his side.  "Good night, Sora."  
            Sora nuzzled Riku's neck.  "'Night..."  
            Under the moon, the two drifted off into a warm and comfortable sleep.

Another cheesy ending!  Go me!  *squees*  But anyway...  All right, that was part one.  Whenever I think through all I want to happen in part two, I'll have it up.  Which will hopefully be soon.  We'll see how mindie's social and school life goes before we make any definites.  *nodnod*  
Another thing: for those of you who have read my other KH fic 'Fangs', I will be soon writing a sequel.  I'm having a bit of a block, though.  I've been given a few ideas, but I still need a bit more.  I'm thinking about having it be a longer fic that includes each of the worlds.  What do you all think?  And if that's a good idea, I need an idea for what Riku would look like in Atlantica(Arial's world).  I've been racking my brain for a possible idea for 'im, and I just can't think of anything.  Grr, gar, grr.  
Anyway, that's enough out of the authour.  Read and review.  I shall try to get the second part to either one of my fics up as soon as possible.


	2. Faded

**Part. **two / three**  
Part title. **Faded**  
Authour. **~sushisama~ (sushivice@netscape.net)   
**Notes. **This was originally going to be a lemon, but...  don't know.  Just couldn't finish it when I had it half done.  It didn't seem to fit.  So I wrote a better scenario.  *shrugs*  I still have that lemon to write for 'Fangs', so my fellow perverts will get their fill soon enough.  And sorry I didn't get this out sooner - I was going to be done with it last night, but I fell asleep...  Hieh.

**/ / = thoughts**   
::*~~*::

            Sora lay on his back in the calm waters that lie underneath the streets of Traverse Town.  His eyes were closed, his bare chest moving as slow as his breath as he relaxed.  This moment was such a rarity that the brunette did nothing but try to enjoy it.  No Donald...  No Goofy...  It was truly peaceful.  
            The Keyblade master couldn't help but feel like he was being watched, though...  
            On the stone shore of the underground passage a silver-haired male stood, staring intently at the teen in the waters.  His crystal blue eyes were empty of emotion, his lips pursed together in an indifferent line.  
            When Sora came back to the shoreline to get out of the cold waters, he searched for his jacket to find that it was gone.  Shit.  And it was starting to get really cold...  
            "Looking for something?" a cold voice asked from behind him.  Sora whipped around to see whoever it was.  
            "R...riku?"  
            Before him stood his rival and best friend, holding his jacket loosely at his side.  He had his normal smirk in place.  "Hello again, Sora."  
            "Riku..."  He came closer to embrace his lost friend.  Though he had really found him earlier that day, the older boy had disappeared suddenly before they could finish their conversation.  His arms went tightly around him but Riku did not return the hug.  He pulled back to look into his friend's eyes with concern.  "What's wrong...?"  
            Riku was silent for a moment before he answered, "Don't act so friendly with me..."  He shoved the smaller boy away.  "Did you even bother looking for Kairi or me?  Or were you too busy playing with your new friends?"  
            "How... how can you accuse me like that, Riku?"  Sora looked down at the ground, not sure why Riku was acting in such a way.  Riku had always understood the circumstances to everything...  He wouldn't misunderstand this, would he...?  "I was looking for you!  But... but I have to help Goofy and Donald as well..."  
            Riku looked disbelieving.  "It still seems to me that you forgot about us..."  He turned around, Sora's jacket still in hand, and started to leave.  
            "Riku!" Sora shouted, reaching out for his friend's hand.  "Riku, I would never forget you!"  He wrapped his arms around the taller male's waist, pulling him closer so he could lay his head on Riku's shoulder blades.  "...don't you remember the Paopu fruit?  We're stuck with each other..."  
            Riku stiffened in Sora's arms, remembering that night...  And the morning after.  The one where he woke up and thought on what he had done.  He didn't think Sora would have understood the full impact of the fruit nor the kiss.  So, when Sora had awoken, he treated it like any other time they had stayed out and just asked him to a fight when he was awake enough.  Not a word of the night before had come to his lips.  And Sora didn't say anything, either.  
            / He forgot...  I even asked him later when the last time he had tried the Paopu fruit was and he said the same thing he had that one night...  'A few years ago'... /   
            "I thought..." Riku slowly turned around so he was facing Sora.  "...you had forgotten?"  
            Riku shook his head.  "I didn't forget anything about it..."  He lowered his head, loosening his grip on Riku's frame.  "It's just... you didn't say anything... and it looked like you kind of regretted it..."  
            Riku put a finger underneath Sora's chin and tilted his face upwards and a bit to the side as he pressed a light kiss to his lips.  "I didn't regret it... I just thought you wouldn't understand."  
            Sora wrapped his arms around the taller boy and laid his head on his chest.  "I understood... and I felt the same.  You should've said something..."  He tightened his grip, to be closer to Riku and his heat.  Though he would've clung to him anyway, he was starting to get really cold and wanted to steal some of the warmth that was coming from his friend.  
            Riku returned the embrace, pulling the boy as close to him as he could.  "Sora..." he whispered into his ear in a low voice, "you don't know how long I've wanted to hold you like this...  To touch you..."  
            Riku held onto the younger boy for a long time, just enjoying the feeling of him so close.  He had what he wanted now.  Nothing could stand in his way.  Except... Maleficent would demand his presence soon.  And Kairi...  
            "Sora," the silver-haired boy called softly, pushing Sora back a bit so he could look him in the eyes, "will you join me?"  
            Sora shook his head regretfully.  "I can't.  I want to... but..."  
            Riku's brows furrowed a little.  "But what?  Your new friends?  Are they more important than finding Kairi?"  
            The brunette shook his head more violently.  "No!  I want to find Kairi.  And I'm doing it, along side of helping them.  I have the Keyblade, Riku... I have to seal these worlds."  He clung tightly to his friend.  "Why don't you join us...?"  
            Riku had considered the idea before.  Of asking Sora if he may join them.  And then the boy had started to converse with them freely, and for a moment, he felt that he had been forgotten.  So he left.  He felt bad about leaving, though, and thought he had over-reacted to such a simple thing.  So, again, he sought Sora out to talk to him.  When he found his friend, though, he was chatting with more of his new friends.  It seemed like he wasn't even making an effort to find him.  
            That was when he had decided to join Maleficent.  And he would not change his mind.  
            "No...  Maleficent is helping me, Sora.  Helping me to find Kairi.  I will not leave her."  
            "Maleficent...?"  Sora looked into his friend's eyes with surprise.  "Riku... I'm supposed to stop her.  That means... that we're enemies..."  His grip tightened around Riku's neck.  "I don't want to be your enemy..."  
            "That's why you should join me."  
            "I can't leave my other friends behind, Riku.  No matter what I feel for you."  
            "...I see."  The taller boy shoved the brunette away, taking a few steps back.  "They do mean more to you than I do."  
            "No!"  Sora reached for Riku's arm, trying to get closer to his friend.  "Riku, that's not true.  You mean a lot to me.  But I still have to help them.  Why can't you understand that?"  
            Riku pulled his arm to him, pulling Sora along with it.  He placed a harsh, bruising kiss on the surprised teen's lips.  Sora opened his mouth in protest as the initial reaction which allowed Riku to slip his tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss even further.  He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close, exploring and outlining the wet chamber into his mind.  
            The silver-haired boy finally pulled away, and whispered into the brunette's ear, "I want you all to myself."  He nipped at his neck, making Sora moan quietly in pleasure.  "Join me."  
            "...I can't..." Sora said with much effort, honestly wanting to take Riku up on his offer.  
            Riku pushed away from home once more and turned away.  "Then I guess we're enemies."  He turned his head around for a moment to say, " Don't take it too personally, Sora."  He turned back and began to wonder off.  
            "...is this how we're going to spend our eternity together?" Sora asked quietly, head lowered.  
            Riku stopped.  "I hope not," he admitted.  "I still love you, Sora.  But there are things I have to do."  
            "When this is all over... will you still care about me the same way?"  
            "How could I not?"  
            Sora didn't answer.  
            Riku sighed.  "Sora... when this all ends..."  He turned to face the sullen boy, "I will be the best lover you could ever dream of."  He took a step closer to him.  "I will give you everything you want."  Another step.  "And I will take better care of you than even your mother could."  He stopped right in front of him.  "I promise."  He kissed the top of the brunette's head.  "So don't forget this time, all right?"  Riku smiled lightly.    
             "I... I won't..." Sora stuttered, looking up at his friend through his thick bangs.  "I won't forget again."  
            "Good."  Riku took something off his neck and placed it around Sora's.  Sora picked up the silvery object and inspected it.  He looked at it questioningly before giving Riku the same look.  "For luck.  From me to you."  
            Sora nodded solemnly.  "I hope this ends soon..."  
            "I know.  I can't wait to be with you."

::*~~*::

            Sora put a hand to his chest as it ached a little.  "Kairi... Kairi's inside of me...?"  He looked to his fallen companion then to the entity before him.  It looked like Riku, but... it couldn't be...  
            "I know all that there is to know."  Riku's crystal blue eyes, the ones that had been so full of affection that night in the alleyway, were now empty as a void.  He wasn't the same person.  
            "Riku...  How can you act like this?  Why are you against me now?"  He lowered his gaze to the floor.  "I thought..."  
            He understood when Riku had told him they would be enemies.  But now... he wanted him destroyed?  No...  He wouldn't do that... nor want that...

"This is only for my benefit, Sora," came the harsh reply.  
            "But... but what about the other night?  Everything we said?"  
            Riku slowly approached his friend, only to have Donald get in his path.  The obstacle was easily removed as he shoved the duck outside of the barrier.  He was now left alone to be with the Keyblade master, which is what he had wished for - this battle was meant only for the two.  
            "I have no idea what you are talking about," Riku said coldly.  
            "You... forgot...?"  Sora looked up at the now-stranger Riku.  "How could you forget...?  Everything we did...?"  He felt like crying.  He had finally admitted all of his feelings for Riku only for them to be forgotten.  / This must've been how he felt after he thought I'd forgotten the Paopu fruit... /  
            "You aren't my Riku," Sora stated firmly.  "Who are you?"  
            "It is I, Ansem, seeker of darkness."  
            Sora lowered his head again, feeling helpless suddenly.  His Riku was gone...?  It couldn't be... not forever...  
            While the brunette was in thought, the older boy readied his weapon to strike him.  "So, now I shall release you, Princess.  Complete the keyhole with your power.  Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!"  
            As he brought down his sword, a voice cried out in Sora's mind, shouting his name, stirring him from his reverie.  He deflected the strike with his keyblade and threw the imposter Riku away.  He stood up and glared at him, shouting, "Give me back my Riku!"  
            He ran forward, initiating the battle.  They fought for what seemed like forever with graceful moves and techniques, Riku displaying his new dark powers and Sora showing his skills as the Keyblade master.    
            Riku was the first to run out of stamina, dropping his blade and falling to his knees.  "No... I can't lose..."  
            "Riku..." Sora called gently, kneeling beside his friend.  "Don't let him win... push him out..."  He wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, pulling him close.  Riku fell easily into his embrace, blood staining Sora's clothes.  "Come back to me...  Please..."  
            / He's begging... /  Riku fought his way through the darkness that was Ansem to the front of his mind, brought there by Sora's calling.  
            "Sora..." Riku said weakly, reaching a hand out to touch his face.  "I'm sorry... that I can't keep my promise..."  
            "Riku...?"  
            The silver-haired beauty's image began to fade.  Sora tried to hold him closer, begging him to stay.  But soon, the fighter was gone completely.  
            Sora stayed in the same position as Donald and Goofy made their way next to him.  
            "Sora..." Goofy whispered, sympathy in his voice.  
            "It's okay, Sora," Donald reassured, putting his hand on the teen's shoulder.  "We'll get him back... he's not gone."  
            Sora didn't answer.  "...let's... get Kairi back her heart.  And the other princesses'.  And lock the keyhole..."  His voice was scarily monotone.  Donald and Goofy backed away from him, half surprised by his indifference, half frightened by it.  
            As Sora stood up, he thought, / I'll find you again, Riku...  And I'll bring you back to me... /  He sighed, choking back the need to cry.  / Because... /  
            The image of Riku's smile the other night came to his mind.  When he had said all those things.  Everything he would do when this was all over.  
            / ...you have to keep your promise... /

The ending was a bit rushing there, but that's all right.  Some of this was forced because I really wanted to get it up for everyone.  I'm working on the other fic after this.  Yaya.  
Thanks to anyone and everyone that reviewed and gave me ideas for the next part of 'Fangs'.  It helped muchly so.  It should be up by the end of the week.  As for this fic, it'll be completely when I finish the game.  Which will hopefully be soon.  
Anyway, shout-outs!  
[To Fantasysangel - Eh, I was wanting something other than a merman.  Something more original, you know?  *shrugs*  Ohwell.  I'll be fine with a merman, though, because I can't think of anything else.  Thanks for the suggestion.  ^_^]  
[To LadyRune - Yes, fishies have scales.  And black would suit him well, along with red.  Don't you think?  ;)]  
[To Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan - And more you shall get.  Hieh.]  
[To Kaya - I just hated fighting there.  It was pretty difficult.  I had the same troubles with flying in Neverland.  Grr.  Ohwell.  At least I'm beyond it now.  Shark seems to be popular with everyone.  So I will submit to the audience's will, and make him a man-shark.  Yaya.]  
[To Linael - Doesn't yaoi just make you smile?  ^___^]  
[To KawaiiAngel4 - I'm going to start hating the word 'cute'.  It's a great compliment, but everyone uses it... Oh, that's no offense to you.  I just wanted to say that.  ;)  Thank you for you compliment.]  
[To Ash-chan - Sweet is what I go for.  I prefer angst, but I've decided to do romance for awhile.  I'll do an angst fic for these two when I'm done with this.  Hieh.]  
[To Snowy - I wanted to a lemon, but...  *sigh*  Damn block.  Maybe next time.]  
[To Millenia - That they are.  That they are.]  
[To Thunder Angel - Thank you.  ^_^]  
[To the no named - What is sick?  Was that meant as a flame?  Come on, give me more to comment on.  I love cracking on flamers.  ;D]

Keep the reviews coming.  ^_^


	3. I will not follow

**Part. **three / three**  
Part title. ** I will not follow...**  
Authour. **~sushisama~ (sushivice@netscape.net)  
**Warnings.** Little bit of the angst stuffs.  Some cheesy scenes.  And rushed beyond belief.  I may go back and rewrite some.  If I wasn't so lazy.  Hieh.  
**Notes. **I apologize greatly for this not coming out sooner.  School sucks muchly so.  Anyway, last part of the 'Glossed Over' fic.  Finally.  I stopped being lazy.  That's what the holidays will do for you...  augh.  Read and review and all that nice jazz.  I'd write more, but I'm about to fall asleep...

**/ / = thoughts     [ ] = dreams     ( ) = flashbacks**  
::*~~*::

            / Can you keep your promise to me? /  
            It sounded so bitter in his head.  
            / And if you can't... if you do just go away... /  
            Sora opened his eyes; everything was black.  He felt as if he wore floating.  Where was he going?  He wasn't certain, but it seemed like it was getting darker, as impossible as it seemed in the already lightless space...  
            "...what's the point?"  
            Sora's heart felt hollow and weighted at the same time.  He had freed the princesses' hearts, but for what price?  His heart, when he drove Riku's keyblade into his chest?  
            / Riku... /  
            No, he had felt heartless before that.  Once the last bit of Riku had faded from his arms, he felt worthless.  All he had strove for, all he waited for, was gone, and by his own hand.  It was only he that had struck Riku in a fight he could've done more to prevent.  Couldn't he have?  
            / It was Ansem...  Not my Riku... / Sora weakly defended himself.  Ansem had taken his love from him and turned him into something so evil.  / So, it's justified for fighting... right?  He was trying to hurt Kairi, anyway... /  
            He wasn't convincing himself very well.  He fell(or was it rose?) further into the darkness, putting up no resistance.  There was a pain that began to spread through his chest, dull at first, but growing sharper by the moment.  
            And then the pain stopped.  There was no weight left in his heart, as now there was no light or dark.  There was only... nothing.  And he was fine with that.    
            / Nothing left for me, anyway...  Except, maybe... /  
            His mind went blank.  
  
            Many Shadow Heartless began to manifest as they approached the threesome that was Kairi, Goofy, and Donald.  Ansem stood behind them, ready to make his path for the princess Kairi.  As he stepped forward, though, something seemed to be holding him back.  
            One little Shadow approached the red-haired teen, more than ready to protect her.  It was his last chance to cling to his heart.  If he could not save the one he loved the most, than he was going to at least save his best friend.  
            Ansem stared at the little Shadow in front of him, his actions restrained by some inner conflict.  "Impossible..." the seeker of darkness muttered hatefully.  
            The image of Riku appeared then, just as beautiful as always.  He looked at Kairi, true concern showing in his eyes, before eyeing the Shadow curiously.  A hint of recognition suddenly showed, and Riku took on an even more determined look.  His eyes turned hatefully to Ansem as he hissed, "No.  You won't use me for this!"  
            "Riku!" Kairi shouted, reaching for him.  
            "You've got to run!  The Heartless will get you if you don't!"  
            Kairi hesitantly  nodded before running away from the Shadows that were appearing more rapidly, followed closely by Donald and Goofy.  
            After all the Shadows had left to chase the three, the only ones left were the small Shadow and Ansem, who was still fighting the spirit of Riku, the silver-haired beauty's image still standing in front of the fallen ruler.  
            "You are mine, Riku," Ansem bluntly stated.  "You gave into the darkness of your heart.  You gave into me.  Do not disobey."  
            "I wanted to save her," Riku quickly replied.  "I did not want to turn her into an instrument for your uses!"  
            "But you knew what was coming...  You were told, after all..."  Ansem grinned.  "Maybe you were too distracted, though...?  Maybe, in your search to end this all sooner, you did not realize the full impact of your actions?  Maybe you were too busy chasing dreams...?"  
            "...it wasn't a dream."  Riku glared at the older man.  "There was a way to end it faster!  There was a way to return to where I came from!"  
            "To return you to who you wanted to be with?"  
            Riku simply looked down, not replying.  
            "I don't care what happened between you two then."  Ansem approached the image, reaching a hand to lay on his shoulder.  "What matters is you are mine now.  Forget that child.  There is no way for you to return to the light.  Only a way for you to go further into the darkness."  
            The boy pulled away from him violently, turning his back on the man.  "I may be claimed by the darkness..."  His eyes stayed to the ground to hide his shame from both the man and the little Shadow.  "But my heart will never fully be yours.  For I am bound," here he looked up, staring into the Shadow's eyes, "forever to someone else."  A small smile stretched on his lips.  
            "Would he still want to keep you?  After all you've done?"  
            Riku did not answer at first.  He continued to stare at the unmoving Shadow, pausing as if thinking.  "Go find her, Sora...  Go protect her...  Forget me."  
            Ansem rose an eyebrow.  "Sora...?  The boy is a Heartless now, you saw it yourself..."  
            Riku continued his intense stare at the Heartless.  "Go.  Now."  
            After a moment, the Shadow finally left, traveling to find his way after his other friends.  
            Ansem turned to watch the Shadow run away.  It took a moment, but it finally clicked in the former ruler's mind who Riku had just been talking to.  "That boy...  he's that Heartless.  Does he think he will stop me from finding Kingdom Hearts?  We shall see about that..."    
            Before Riku could say another word on the subject, Ansem engulfed the boy back to his subconscious, which took an incredible amount of will on his part.  Feeling drained for his battle with the Keyblade master, as well as power it was taking even now to keep the silver-haired teen's mind safely within his own.  
            "For now, little Shadow," Ansem sneered, "you may run to your friends."  He crossed his arms, his body slowly fading.    
            "But I will never allow you to run to your love every again..."

::*~~*::

            The Heartless had to be sealed away.  And after Sora, Goofy, and Donald closed and locked Kingdom Hearts, the evil shadows would be gone.  
            But at what cost?  
            Sora had already thought of the paradox that would occur once the two, white heavy doors were closed: if the dark was sealed away, how can you have light?  One could not exist without the other, right?  After all, the way to distinguish light from dark, and vice-versa, is by comparing one to the other.  
            He had finally come to the conclusion that he would save the worlds from the Heartless.  If it created the paradox...  well, Sora had always been more of a one-moment-at-a-time person.  He'd think of something when he got to that bridge.  
            Through all of his thoughts and ideas of what would happen after this was done, the Keyblade master never expected what he was faced with now.  
            "Come on, Sora!  Together, we can do it!" Riku's rich voice shouted from beyond the doors of Kingdom Hearts.  
            Sora was caught off guard for a moment, unmoving as his hands lay on the gate, no longer striving to close it.  
            / How... can you be so calm?  Don't you want to come with me...? /  
            Riku's eyes soften from the concentrated look they had.  As if reading the brunette's mind, he said, "I've lost my heart to them, Sora...  I have to stay here."  
            "Can't... can't you gain your heart back?"  Sora's bright eyes began to tear up.  
            "Would you be willing to give it back?" Riku said in jest, smirking.  "You are the one who stole it, after all..."  
            "Riku!" Sora exclaimed, drops of salty liquid sliding down his cheeks.  "Be serious!"  He tried to hold back a sob that made his whole body shake.  "Your... your promise..."  
            Riku grabbed the front of Sora's shirt and pulled him close, sealing his lips over the younger boy's.  When the kiss was over, he connected his forehead with Sora's.  He whispered, "I'm sorry...  I can't..."  
            "There no one else in this world I want to take care of me..."  Sora's voice trailed off as his eyes closed, his mind willing the rest of the world to go away, so that all that was left was he, Riku, and the heat between them.  
            "I can only watch you, now, Sora.  But."  He wiped away some of the tears on the brunette's face.  "Don't let it drag you down."  He kissed Sora's forehead and pushed him away, taking the position behind the door that he had had only a few moments ago.  "Don't follow me here."  
            "Riku..."  
            "I love you, Sora."  He took on a stern look then.  "Now, let's close these doors!"  
            Sora was silent for a moment before he nodded, putting his hands back on the doors.  
            The rest of the event seemed to pass in a haze.  Sora could not think of anything other than the fact that Riku was leaving him.  He didn't really notice when King Mickey helped seal the doors, nor when they were actually closed.  He was not really paying attention when he locked Kingdom Hearts, the action of sealing worlds a near habit by now.  
            He stood silently moments after the doors had faded.  Goofy watched him sympathetically, while Donald tried not to, not wanting to give in to pity for the hurting teenager.  He pulled on Goofy's sleeve and gestured towards the way out(where he thought it was, anyway), and the dog followed, though hesitantly.  He wanted to help the human, but he knew there was nothing he could do.  
            "Sora!"  
            The teen looked up in shock to see Kairi.  He ran to her, reaching out for her hand.  She gladly accepted it, a grin on her face, Sora himself smiling a little.  
            "We're finally going home, Sora!  Now we can live without anymore distractions..."  
            Sora's smile faded.  / What about Riku...?  He's not with us...  Don't you even notice he's gone...? /  
            "Sora?"  
            A crack formed between the two of them, driving the land apart, tearing at their hold of one another.  Kairi struggled to pull her friend to her, but Sora... he made no further action to hold on.  He purposely let his grip loosen.  
            Going back... to where he and Riku were raised...  That was too much of a reminder.  He felt so cold now, knowing that Riku would not be able to keep his promise.  
            Kairi kept screaming for him, but he didn't pay attention.  He felt like he was sinking.  
            _"Don't follow me here."_  
            Sora winced, as though the fresh memory brought him as much physical pain as it did emotional.  He could not give in to his sadness, his loneliness.  Because he would become a Heartless...  
            "I will not follow," Sora spoke to no one, now being surrounded by empty space, his voice hollow.  "I will not follow..."  
            He started to chant the statement like a mantra, trying to convince himself that he, indeed, would not follow.  Around the seventh repeat, tears welled up in his eyes again and began to cry heavily.  
            He sank down to the ground so that he was sitting, his arms hugging his legs tightly.  
            The whole world began to fade away, and felt as if he were sinking, but he just kept repeating, "I will not follow...  I will not follow..."

That is not the end of the story.  Just the end of this fic.  Yaya.  Finally got it done!  W00t!  Go me.  That took way too long.  Again, I apologize that it took so long to get this out.  I know.  I suck.  And I'm sorrie that I suck so much.  I shall work on that.  
Anyway, because it is early in the morning and I want to get through with this as soon as possible, I shall not do shout-outs for right now.  I want to get this out already, because I know people are waiting for it.  I shall do that in the next fic, okay?  Cause I love talking to my fans...  I'm just so damned tired...  
I will work on the next part to this soon, as well as the next part for 'Fangs'.  Not to mention work on all my other fics...  Damn holidays, giving me time to actually work...


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